BOULDER -- There was little doubt in Evan Kihn's mind that this was the season Broomfield boys basketball would end one of its most frustrating runs. His team proved the guard right Wednesday night, but it was not pretty.

The Class 4A sixth-ranked Eagles earned their first appearance in the Fairview Festival championship since 2004, after gutting one of their most physical outings of the season. BHS downed Fountain-Fort Carson 62-55 to break what has been a frustrating dry spell in the tournament.

"I'm pumped," Kihn said. "I've been waiting for this (for a long time). It's going to be fun."

Kihn played a huge role in getting the Eagles to the title game, where they'll face Fairview at 8 p.m. Friday. In a game where Broomfield could not find a consistent offensive stride, the senior pulled his team across the finish line from the free-throw line.

Kihn hit 13 of 14 of his free-throw attempts to record a career-high 21 points in the game. But it was his final seven buckets from the stripe that sealed the deal for Broomfield. Kihn's final seven free throws helped provide his team the winning margin after swinging the game early in the fourth.

"We shot less than 50 percent Monday, so we really stressed free-throw shooting this week," he said. "And personally, I take my free throws very seriously."

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Even with his strong finish, Kihn was sweating the win out until the very end. The third period was extremely tight, with the Trojans taking the lead twice in the period.

"I was concerned in the third," the guard said. "I was on the bench, it was 37-37 for a while and we couldn't get buckets."

The tight finish might have frayed a few of Terrence Dunn's nerves, but the Broomfield coach was please with his team's results. He gave Fountain-Fort Carson full credit, pointing to the team's athleticism and putting two players in double digits. But it is also the Eagles' history with the Trojans that had the coach nervous.

"They're the ones that beat us in this tournament last year," he said. "And we've only played them three times and each has been very close."

Dunn points out the Eagles' job in the tournament is not finished. But the coach also believes his team has set itself up for a grand finale.

"It's been a long time since we've been here," he said. "And it came off a gutsy win tonight."

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